Spring’s blossoming fruit trees are lovely and exciting with promise, but the masses of nearly white blossoms can be a challenge to paint. Yupo paper allows almost complete removal of paint as well as the addition of fine lines which edge light washes. The undertones in the blossoms were achieved with a blue underpainting. Much of the painting of the flowers was done by removing paint, then floating in a light orange color to give some crisp detail to the soft blossoms.

Once in awhile I have the urge to rework an older painting. This was originally painted in 2011 at White’s garden in Woodbine, Iowa. The painting was reworked in 2017 to make the iris more blue with sharper edges and the foliage softer.

The light filters through the huge pines to be caught by the salal leaves and flowers on the forest floor. This painting can be viewed and purchased at the Southern Coos Hospital’s show, “Flora and Fauna of the Coquille Watershed” April 9 until June 26, 2015. The reception is April 12, 2015 from 1:00-3:00 pm at the Southern Coos Hospital and Health Center, 900 11th Street SE, Bandon, Oregon.